Medieval
by Bass2013
Summary: Kim was adopted by the Brewers at a young age, and has almost no memory of her life before them. Jack is her best friend and adoptive brother, as well as her protector. Read and see what happens when a lost princess and a simple brewer's son journey to find her mother. (This whole story is based in medieval times and that last sentence could change depending on how this goes.)
1. Chapter 1

"You came." A woman's voice, swirling with an Irish lilt, whispers from a darkened tree line.

"I did." A shadowy figure replies, outlined against a starless night; its voice distinctly male, with a trace amount of a cockney accent.

"Thank you for doing this for me. I don't know-" The woman's voice falters before the man cuts her off.

"I didn't do this for you. I did it for the kid. He can't lose her as a friend." His voice is gruff, tinged with concern for the children he speaks of.

"She'll be his sister now. Not just his friend." Her voice carries a warning.

"They're just kids. Nothing romantic could have formed between them yet." The man's words say one thing, but his voice speaks of what he fears.

"I'm not saying it has. I'm saying it might. And if it does-" A branch snaps, as though stepped on, somewhere in the woods. She falls silent. Motioning for the man to duck behind a tree, she sends a small child, previously hidden, to him. "Good bye my sweet."

"Mama?" The little girl whimpers, her mother's accent apparent in her small voice.

"Go." The woman says. "Go!" She repeats, louder now. The little girl hurries across the clearing to the man. He scoops her up and as he runs, she peers over his shoulder and watches as her mother raises her hand in a goodbye and disappears between two shadowed trunks. "Mama." It's a quiet plea, but it breaks the man's heart none the less.

*Several Hours Later*

"Jack, you know Kim." A woman, about 35, with long auburn hair and green eyes, coos to a young boy; speaking with the same accent as her husband (the man from the forrest), who stands in the corner. His chocolate eyes widen and he runs a small hand through his shaggy brown hair, nodding. "She's going to be living with us. You're going to have a sister!"

"But Kim's my friend." Jack says plaintively, "We can't be friends if we're siblings."

"Yes you can, you're her brother now. You look out for her." The women smiles, turning her attention to Kim. "Isn't that right Kimmy?"

"Don't call me that, I desp-desp-despise that name." The young Kim speaks with authority far beyond her four years. "My mommy said I am to act as though this is my family, and so I sh-sh-" Her small brow crinkles as she tries to pronounce the word. "Shall." She says, finally getting it out as she flashes a front-teeth-missing grin at Jack. He grins back shyly

"But Kim and I don't look alike, siblings have to look alike." Jack points out, using flawless six year old logic. He wasn't completely wrong. Though both possessed big, brown cow eyes, Kim was lean, with honey blonde hair that fell to the small of her back, and pale, freckled skin, while Jack was stout, with the beginnings of a muscular frame from hours of combat training, and shaggy brown hair that fell around his tanned caramel-toned face. They were far from twins, but the sibling ruse wasn't completely unbelievable.

"Not always, I didn't look anything like my sisters when I was younger. Plus, you two share enough similar traits that you could pass for brother and sister." The woman, Jack's mother, replies with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Kim, your name is now Kim Brewer. Not Kim Crawford. You will no longer receive the treatment of a Crawford, but the treatment of a beer-brewing recluse's family member. Got it?" Jack's father speaks from the corner, his low voice rumbling while his accent jumbled his words.

"Yes sir." Kim replies, unhooking the leaf pin on her emerald cloak and gathering it into her arms.

"You call us mum and pop now, no more ma'ams or sirs or Mr. or Mrs. Brewers. Okay, Kim?" Mrs. Brewer's green eyes shimmer with worry over her new daughter's response.

"Yes mummy." The new word fumbles with her Gaelic accent and comes out sounding closer to mlumny.

"Good. Now our house isn't as big as your old one, so you have to share a room with Jack." Mrs. Brewer turns her attention to Jack, "You'll show her to it, correct?" Jack nods slowly, the words still sinking in. "If you need anything, mummy and daddy's room is right over there." She motions to a doorway beyond the small kitchen before clasping her hands in front of her. "Welcome to your home." Kim nods and looks to Jack nervously. He smiles and motions for her to follow him. She pauses, taking in the small cabin-like house. _My new home._

*About an hour later*

"So…" Jack motions around his room, "This is it."

Kim nods shyly, setting her cloak and satchel on the cot that she had been told was her's. Previously unnoticed by Jack, she was clothed in an olive green dress, far too fancy for a family like his to afford, with gold thread embroidered on it. Jack was too young to realize what beauty is, but he understood that Kim looked _pretty_, which to him had been a term reserved for his mum. "Do you have any clothes for me? This is far too fancy to sleep in." Kim speaks shyly, afraid she has overstepped her bounds.

"Oh…uh." Jack is shocked to have been caught gawking at his best friend. "Mummy is working on some new clothes for you, but for now you can use some of my old pyjamas. They're way too small for me now." He finally gets out. Jack tosses a bundle of drab brown and grey clothing to her, puffing out his chest jokingly. Kim giggles as she snatches the projectile out of the air.

"Tá tú den sórt sin ar leathcheann." Kim mumbles, her lilt flowing beautifully with her words.

"What did you say?" Jack asks, greatly confused by the foreign words.

"It's my native tongue, Irish." She replies, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Amaideach."

"Why do I feel like you're teasing me?"

"Because I am."

"At least tell me what you're saying!"

"Fine, but I'm teaching you Irish so I don't always have to act as a translator whenever I want to insult you." Kim sticks her tongue out at him. "Tá tú den sórt sin ar leathcheann. It means 'you're such an idiot."

"Hey!" Jack interrupts.

" Amaideach. It means 'silly.' As in 'of course silly!" Kim continues; paying almost no attention to Jack's wounded pride.

"At least insult me in a language I speak!"

"What fun would that be?!" Jack glares at her, then lets it go and grins. Pouncing on her, he begins to tickle her. "Jack! Stop it! You know I'm really ticklish!" Kim squeals, swatting at him.

"Don't tease me in Irish then!" But he does as she asks and stops his attack, pausing before pulling her to the small window in the West wall. "I want to show you something." Jack pulls the four squares of glass out of the window, followed by wood supports that spanned the width and heighth of the frame. Climbing up and out, he peers back in over, or rather under, the top of the window. "Are you coming or not?" Jack teases putting a hand out for her to take.

"Oh I'm coming! Just let me change!" Kim called, scurrying into the small closet with the bundle of clothes. Jack climbs back up onto the thatch roof, stretching out and staring at the distant dots that were the stars. Before long, Kim emerges from the window, pulling her small frame onto the roof and sprawling out next to Jack. "Wow." She breathes, her brown eyes stretching wide as they reflect the stars so many miles away. She turns her attention to the boy beside her. "They think I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Being a six year old, Jack didn't have the developed empathy of an adult. He saw the words as words without any subtext.

"That something is going to happen to my mama. That I'm in danger. That it has something to do with my daidí." Her eyes were shiny, unshed tears brimming around her eyelids and her voice choked. Jack knew that Kim would act like an adult, put on a brave face, but in this moment, she looked like the scared four year old she is. Jack didn't speak, instead wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Her small shoulders shook with silent sobs for what seemed like a very long time before she drifted off, her worries lost in the infinite world of sleep.

"You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you." Jack mumbles sleepily as he follows Kim into slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

*11 years later*

"An bhfuil tú cinnte gur mian leat é seo a dhéanamh?" _Are you sure you want to do this? _Jack asks, his voice carrying the Irish lilt from years of lessons from Kim.

"Uimh." _No. _Kim replies, keeping her gaze on the pot in front of her.

"Ní gá duit a." _You don't have to._

"Is ea is féidir liom." _Yes I do._ Kim is now 15, Jack is 17. Her hair still falls to the small of her back in a honey waterfall, but she prefers to keep it braided over her shoulder. She has been told she is beautiful, that she takes after her mother, which she knows is true. Just not the mother that everyone else knew. "Ní féidir liom a choinneáil ar a bheith ina ar dhíthreabhach í." _I can't keep being a recluse._

"Is féidir le Mam a choinneáil ag múineadh sa bhaile agat." _Mom can keep homeschooling you._ Jack's voice has taken a pleading edge, desperate to protect Kim.

"Tá mé cúig déag, is gá dom a bheith chaired." _I'm fifteen, I need to have friends._

"You have me!" Jack abandons Irish in a hopeless plea.

"You're my brother, you have to like me. I need to know I can make my own friends." Kim follows him into English, her accent jumbling with the British one she has adopted before she corrects it to strictly British.

"Your adopted brother. You were my friend before that, remember?"

"Jack! I'm going to school whether you like it or not."

"Fine, but I'm going to protect you whether you like it or not." Jack too, has grown. His frame has filled out; hours in the fields, combined with hours of combat training, has made him a six foot one wall of muscle. He still wore his hair shaggy, the tips of it brushing the nape of his neck in the back and his eyebrows in the front. Kim grins and hugs him, her head resting on his chest.

"I know you will." She lets go and grabs the pot off the stove, pouring its contents into two bowls. "Bricfeasta a sheirbheáil." _Breakfast is served_. Jack grins and slurps down the soupy oatmeal that has been poured into his bowl. _Kim is going to school with me._

*About an hour later*

Kim braces herself, staring at the school house as she pulls her lilt into the deepest parts of her mind and her British accent to the forefront. "Oh mo dhia." _Oh my God._ She breaths, scurrying to catch up to Jack. "What if they don't like me?" She murmurs, half to herself, half to Jack. "What if they hate me?!" Jack places a hand on her shoulder, rubbing her bicep like he used to when they were children. It always calmed her then, and it managed to calm her now.

"They have to like you, you're you." He replies, pulling her chin up to look at him. "Plus, I can kick their butts if they don't." He grins and pulls her to the school's front. "Now come on. I've got some people I want you to meet."

*A few minutes later*

"Jerry," Jack motions to a Hispanic boy of about 16, with raven hair, "This is Kim. Kim, this is Jerry. Milton," He motions to a bird-like boy, about his own age, with red hair that has been neatly trimmed, "meet Kim."

"Hola chica, tύ estἁs muy bonita." The Hispanic boy, Jerry, says in a sultry Spanish accent.

"Dude, she's my sister. You just met her and you're already hitting on her?" Jack cuffs Jerry lightly on the head.

"What did he say?" Kim whispers, her knowledge restricted to Irish and English only.

"Hi girl, you're very pretty.' Just a heads up, Jerry's a bit of a flirt." Blood rushes to Kim's face as a blush colors her cheeks.

"Inis dom rud éigin Níl a fhios agam" _Tell me something I don't know. _Kim shoots back with a playful tone, attempting to beat Jerry at his own language game.

"What?" Jerry's face is a picture of confusion as he looks to Milton.

"She said 'tell me something I don't know." Milton offers in a thick Scottish brogue. He offers his hand to Kim. "Milton McKrumpnic of the McKrumpnic clan. I'm this thing's," He motions loosely at Jerry, "tutor and translator, given that he doesn't like to obey authority or speak English." Milton shoots a pointed look at Jerry.

"Ay, Spanish is the language of love." He wiggles his bushes of eyebrows at Kim, warranting the punch in the shoulder that Jack proceeds to give him.

"Seriously, lay off. It's getting creepy." Undetected by the others, a hint of anger creeps into Jack's voice. _She's MY sister. He isn't allowed to talk to her like that. _One half of his mind snapped. But then a smaller, quieter part interjects, _Neither are you._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Wow, chapter 3 already, and only 1 review. :p come on guys, I know at least some people are reading this so let me know what you think of my story, it will only make me a better writer in the end if you people tell me what you do and don't like about my writing. Big shout-out to "I Ship Kick" for the 1 review and "Shadowhunterchronicleslover13" for the first favorite, and let's not forget "everythingineedtoknow" for the first follow. You guys are how I know that my words aren't falling on deaf ears. Thank you.**_

_**P.S. Burst of inspiration is why this chapter was written so quickly. Love it, hate it, let me know.**_

*About 3 months later*

"Come on Jack!" Kim was tugging excitedly on Jack's hand, "We're going to miss the dancing!"

"Kim! The festival lasts for a week! The dancing lasts for days, not minutes!" Jack replies, laughing and allowing himself to be pulled down the cobblestone streets by the spritely form of Kim. She looks stunning, her gown all blue silk and lace, a product of their mum's tireless effort and careful trading over the past months. Its neckline ran so that just a small amount of cleavage showed, the corset confining her natural curves ever so slightly. The sleeves came to mid-forearm, a daring look really; rather a lot of skin was being shown. Her skirts flared out at the waist, only growing larger the closer to her feet it came. Her small feet were slipped into blue heels that just barely poked from the edge of the lace trim of her dress.

"I know, but I promised Brody a dance and he's not going to be there for days!" Kim paused and pulled on Jack's hand, a pleading look in her eye, "Promise me you won't scare him with your 'I'm protecting you' deal? He's the first friend I've made by myself."

"I won't," Jack scoffed, a light blush tinging his cheekbones, "But for your sake, I would inform him that you guys are 'friends' as you said. Something tells me he thinks it's something more."

"I don't know Jack, I'm fifteen. He's fifteen and not bad for an alderman's son. My mother was married by the time she was my age, is it so bad if he wants to court me?" She huffed. "I may like this boy and it's not going to change at your behest."

"Fine, but I'm not allowing any knavery." Jack put on his most responsible look, "I don't care if it behooves me to ignore it, he tries anything, **anything**, with you that I don't believe is appropriate for a girl of your age, or reckless, or creepy, I'll show that mongrel just how much of a deartháir mór* I can be."

"Tá tú ró-milis." _You're too sweet._ Kim grins at him, "You know I've had combat training too, I can defend myself sometimes."

"I know you can, but it's unwomanly. People would be scandalized by a young woman not showing complete obedience to her suitor. If that's what you're going to call Brody." Jack hates that Kim is restricted by such things, he isn't a fickle person, stuck in the old ways, but he is helpless to prevent others from looking at Kim as a…a…fhadhb leanbh**. Or stop them, if they so choose, from sending her to the abbey. He can't stand the idea of her being forced to sit idle, learning the arts of embroidery and baking.

"I'm so damn tired of watching you boys having all the fun. I can fight, I could beat half the boys in this stupid town in hand to hand combat, but I'm not allowed to!" Kim throws her hands in the air, her fiery temper sparking. "I hate this! I hate having to sit and listen to mum drone on and on about cooking and cleaning and the 'various arts of womanhood' when all I want to do is go outside and spar with you and your friends. Sure, I can't beat you when we spar in the evenings, but I know I'm good! I've watched Jerry and Milton fight, I know if I had the chance, I could beat them! How I wish to be able to wear trousers instead of endless heavy skirts! To wear my hair tied back for efficiency instead of intricacy! To not have to stumble along, clinging to some man's arm, in heels and instead slip my feet into the leather of the shoes men wear!" Her voice quieted. "Don't you understand, Jack? I'm tired of trying to fit in with other girls my age, with all the talk of dresses and the latest fashions, the endless chatter of the princes of various countries, one of which I know is the REAL brother my REAL mother kept. Why do you think all my friends are boys? I can't maintain the blushing, eyelash-batting, feminine façade I'm supposed to in order to fit in with the girls. It's just not…me." By this point Jack had dragged her into a side alley, trying to prevent the damning things she was saying from reaching the ears of those who passed by. Kim sighs and sinks to the ground, the pale blue skirts of her festival dress pooling around her on the street. "And I can't even cry right now because that would make my face red and blotchy which would be oh-so unwomanly." Her corset was strangling her; all traces of happiness she had worn disappeared as she buried her head in her hands. "I want to fit in Jack, but I just can't. I can't even be excited that a man is showing interest in courting me, especially an alderman's son, because all that would mean is a life time of corsets, make-up, heels, and draping myself on his arm like an accessory. I try, I really do. I want to be happy, so I act happy. But right now, all I want is to go home, even though I love the festivities, I just can't deal with people right now." Kim's voice is tight, stress and worry breaking through her normally stoic persona, and she plucks nervously at the silk choker mama had given her to match the gown.

"Well we can't go home, it's too far to walk and mum and pop have the horse and cart." Jack said, hating how Kim's expression fell to absolutely distressed. "But," He started, trying to make his voice more excited even though it was breaking his heart to see Kim so upset, "We can go to a close friend of mine's house."

***Translation: **_**Big Brother**_

****Translation: **_**Problem Child**_

_**Author's note: If anyone is wondering why Jack resorts to Irish to call Kim a problem child, it's because he doesn't feel comfortable even thinking the English words. Keep in mind, these were very restricting times for women. The often married and bore children in their early teens, and didn't have options in the way of jobs. (Yes, I am doing research as I go and not just from Wikipedia.)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry for not updating in so long, had a busy week. I got a guest review that really helped me make a decision a) to keep writing this story and b) to change the title and possibly the description. However, after many hours of consideration, I've got nothing. So I turn to you, the readers, to help me find a new title and maybe description. PM me or leave it in the reviews, I read both. Thank y'all for reading!**_

Jack knocked lightly on the heavy wooden door of a dark tavern, not yet open for the festivities. "Rudy! Open the door, it's me." He calls, raising his voice so that it can be heard through the thick oak panels and clay bricks. Kim hears a key turning in the iron keyhole on the other side of the door before the door opens to reveal a rather… petite man. Kim was average height, if not a bit short, for a girl of her age; but this man was smaller than her. He was muscled in the same way as Jack's father was, not overly so but enough to show a little definition through the light material of his clothes. His hair was a mousy brown, wisps curling around his ears and down his neck, and his eyes were a light blue, but looked a little darker due to the fearful way they flitted around the alley outside the door.

"Ah! Hello Jack! Come in, come in! Have a drink and rest your legs!" Rudy laughs, and locks the door behind them, hanging the key on a peg beside it. Kim's surprised to hear a suppressed Irish lilt to his words, probably from living among the English for so long. Suddenly, his eyes focus on Kim. "Who's your friend, Jack?"

"Oh!" Jack pulls Kim from her position behind him to his side. "This is my sister Kim, she's fourteen."

"Ah, the sister! Your father talks about you often." Rudy says, his voice maintaining its joyful note but his eyes flashing as he leans across the bar. "You're adopted, aren't you?"

"How did you know? No one knows, or rather knew, for a decade!" Kim's voice is tight, she's fighting to keep her accent gone and her voice even.

"Banphrionsa." Rudy bows deeply, still grinning. Jack looks at him, confused. He recognizes that the word is Irish, but Kim had never taught him it. "Princess." Rudy adds for Jack's sake. Kim shakes her head, trying to find the words to deny that which she knows is true, and retreats behind Jack, searching for that safe feeling he always seemed to provide.

"How do you know Kim?" Jack's voice is firm, but worried. He doesn't know if Rudy can keep his mouth shut, especially once the drinking begins.

"Calm down Jack, let me explain over a mug of mead." Rudy pulls three mugs from behind the bar. "It's a rather interesting story."

_**Not my best chapter, I'll admit. But this scene had to happen eventually.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_***I really wish I was getting more reviews for this story, but I actually like it so I'm trying not to abandon it.***_

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, not much older than you are now, who lived in a castle with her parents. Their kingdom was at war, so to appease the masses, her parents agreed to an arranged marriage between her and the prince of the rival kingdom. The prince was cold, calculating, albeit handsome. With dark hair and blue eyes, the prince captured the young, naïve princess's heart quickly. It wasn't until after their marriage and joint coronation that she saw the true person he was. She bore a daughter at age 18. The baby girl was beautiful, looking so much like her mother with honey blonde hair and playful brown eyes. But her father wished for a son, and tried to send the princess away to another kingdom to be raised as a bride for the prince there. Her mother postponed her departure for several years, but when the princess turned four, her father demanded she be sent away. Her mother fled with the child, fearing for her baby's safety. The queen came back, but the princess did not. No one has seen her since, at least not that they knew of." Rudy smirks, the cocky Irishman in him enjoying the awe in the teens' faces. Kim's chocolate eyes stretched to the size of dinner plates and her petite mouth was slightly agape, showing small, straight, pearly white teeth. "You look just like your mother, Kim Crawford."

"What happened to my máthair? Is she in good health?" Kim's voice is small, like it was that night on the roof. It quivers and quakes and she has no way to stop it. She is a little girl again, praying for the mother she barely knew to come back. Jack's arm tightens protectively around her waist, a primal instinct.

"No one knows, the king closed the castle off from the rest of the world. Neither of the royals have been seen for years." Rudy responds as he wipes down the bar. He glances up at the girl in front of him, "She loved you very much, she abandoned you for your own protection."

"Why…How did my máthair know Jack's father?" Kim mumbles, her mind latching on to a small detail in the whirlwind story.

"Your father has quite an obsession with beers. The Brewers practically lived in the castle for a few years." Rudy laughs, his manly bellow unusual for a man of his size. Jack laughs along nervously and sips at the mead in his hand. Kim remains silent and watches the amber liquid swish around in her mug as it foams. The tavern falls into silence for a few seconds before Kim breaks.

"I want to find my máthair."

_*__**Good? Bad? Should I just stop? Please let me know, I feel like I'm talking to myself.***_


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